Moonspell
by Spunky0ne
Summary: Enemies by day and lovers by night, Aizen Sousuke and Kuchiki Byakuya seek resolution. Aizen offers his lover the opportunity to choose his path, but will Byakuya be able to make peace with himself or will their love be lost? Aizen/Byakuya
1. Full Moon

**Moonspell**

**(This story has been edited to make content fit the M rating. The unedited version of this story will be made available on AO3 and Aarinfantasy.)**

**Chapter 1: Full Moon**

"Good-night Kuchiki Taichou."

"Good-night Abarai fukutaichou."

With a solemn expression and measured steps, Kuchiki Byakuya left the Squad Six Headquarters. Sun had set and full moon risen, but his eyes looked straight ahead, oblivious to all but the street before him. Calm and tranquil, he proceeded slowly, light falling over him, placing tiny highlights in the dark swirls of raven black hair and lighting the dark centers of the deep gray eyes. Haori and ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu floated on the cool breeze, dancing lightly around him, already caught in the spell of the full moon.

The doors to Kuchiki Manor opened from within. He passed through them, nodding with half-lidded eyes to the ones who greeted him, then turned and passed down the long wooden walkway, surrounded in sakura breezes. He bared his feet at the door, then stepped into his room, leaving the doors to the garden opened wide. He stepped calmly past his bed, moving into the dressing area to begin the silent ritual.

Soft, pale hands reached up to unfasten the kenseiken. As it was pulled away, the suddenly freed strands of black hair fell down over one sleepy gray eye. He set the kenseiken carefully on its stand, then reached up to unwind the flowing ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu from its place at his throat. This he hung neatly, letting the ends fall nearly to the floor, but not allowing them to touch it. He moved on then to the fingerless gloves, baring light skin made tender and sensitive by the constant press of white cloth on the surface. One hand lowered and pulled free the tie at his waist and he slipped the fabric from his shoulders, catching it as it fell away and dropping it into the clothesbasket for cleaning. He loosened the hakama and let it fall in a lazy swish, before stepping out of it. His moonlit skin glowed softly as he turned, and the gray eyes caught a glimpse of naked flesh, finally released from all bindings. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the momentary freedom from a life surrounded by rules, regulations, expectations. It was a slightly regretful hand that reached for the soft, dark red yukata and covered his flesh again.

Slowly, he stepped out of the dressing area, across the room and to a bed bathed in blue moonlight. The covers had already been pulled back and he slipped easily beneath them, sliding into cool softness. He sank into his pillow and lay awake for a time, gray eyes glowing with the full moon's light, filling with the unrestrained energies. Sighing softly, he gave himself over to the night and the dark gray eyes drifted closed.

Deep within the confines of his carefully controlled mind, the sensibilities of daytime were driven away and the full moon took control.

As the full moon fell across the open door, it's light filled his room and bathed him in its madness. The dark, senseless eyes opened to take in its fullness, then the bonds on his body released and he slowly rose from his bed. With soft, silent footsteps, he crossed the floor and passed through the open doors and out into the night. He gazed up at moon and stars, and showed no hint of surprise or distress as a golden light surrounded him and lifted him into the air. He flinched at the tearing sound of the garganta opening, but the spell of the moon had hold of all his senses now. And as the golden light surrounded him, it soothed him back to senselessness and his body relaxed.

Set down gently in the cool night sands, he walked with an easy stride across the desert and into the darkened courtyard. Hollow guards allowed him to pass without challenge, their heads bowing slightly as the heavenly form passed them.

The doors opened for him and he walked slowly to the stairs, his breath quickening as he ascended them. He paused at the top, one eye quietly observing as the doors drifted closed behind him, then he turned and made his way down the hall to a guarded door. This last door opened before him. He stepped through and waited as it closed.

All was quiet within. Here too, the moonlight streamed inside and cast its madness about, making beautiful what would be intolerable by the light of day.

"I'm glad you have come to me again…Byakuya."

The noble stood frozen, just inside the door, smoldering gray eyes fastened on brown, his heart quickening, fluttering, leaving his body feeling weakened.

"Sousuke," he breathed, his voice trembling.

The other was on his feet in an instant, flash stepping to meet him. He stood for a moment, watching the moonlight play over pale, perfect skin, then reached for his hand. With the joining of their hands, a part of the wall ahead of them dissolved and a stairway rose to lead them upward. Darkness followed by a creature of light, they ascended the stairs together. They reached the top and blinked at the return of the moonlight as they entered the glass domed room at the very top of Las Noches. They paused in the doorway, hands touching, holding each other as they took in the stars and moon. Then slowly their eyes fell and met…bright, steel gray and contemplative brown.

One hand slipped beneath the fine carved chin, raising the pale lips to meet his as the other reached for the tie at his waist and pulled it free. A shiver passed through the slender body as strong hands pushed the cloth back off of his shoulders and the red, silken fabric fell away, floating softly to the floor at their feet.

One hand extended and a paler one accepted, their fingers lacing lightly together as they stepped across the floor side by side. They stood for a moment by the bed, gray eyes locked on brown, a warm hand rising to cup a porcelain cheek. A very soft meeting of lips. The gray eyes grew hazy and lost. Aizen Souske's lips spread into a mischievous smile.

He wrapped his arms around the noble's slender, white body, laying his darker, hotter flesh against it, letting the warmth radiate between them. Slowly, he brought the other down onto the bed, sinking into the softness of fabric and flesh. He felt the racing of the heart beneath the flesh and watched rapt as a lovely blush rose on pale features. It was too much to resist, and he had no need for restraint.

Lips and warm breath brushed the shell of an ear.

"Ask me for anything, Byakuya. Tell me what you want."

Gray eyes widened and grew confused as the madness of the full moon descended and penetrated. As the other watched with predatory eyes, the pale, white form beneath him was filled with energy, brought to life.

"I want you…Sousuke…"

He descended on the perfect mouth, forcing it wide and thrusting between the parted lips to find the hidden heat and sweetness within. The taste was even sweeter than he remembered, the scent of cherry blossoms stronger, everything was made more perfect under the full moon. His fingers curled into the soft, silken hair, curving around his head, holding it in place as he plundered the sinfully sweet depths, his heart racing and his loins aching as his lover moaned into his mouth. He felt the tender vibration of sound and motion all of the way to his toes.

Soft hands and pearly nails slid down the length of his back, curving around and capturing his hips. They tightened and pulled insistently as the body beneath his arched upward into his. Still buried in the depths of that sinfully warm mouth, he ground his hips into the ones rising against them and was rewarded with a hungry, wanton moan. He tore his mouth away from his lover's and fell on the soft, white throat. The noble's head fell back offering even more to taste, to touch, to tease and nip. He accepted the invitation eagerly, first running his tongue slowly along its trembling length, then bathing every inch in soft, open-mouthed kisses. The body beneath him shivered with want and he felt himself smiling into the soft, pale flesh.

The noble's slim hips bucked upward into his and his own answered with deep, hard friction. The body beneath him writhed against him and the dark gray eyes caught his, silently pleading for completion.

He was all too willing to comply.

He pulled away briefly to gaze down at his lover's body stretched out across the bed, his flawless white skin bathed in moonlight. The dark eyes glinted back at him, fiery and restless and his lips moved in the shape of his lover's name.

"Sousuke…"

He ran the fingers of one hand over the lines of his chest, tracing each curve and dip, then he leaned forward and mouthed one erect, pink nipple, then the other. The light, sweet sound that issued from the noble's lips in response sent a jolt through his loins and his hardness throbbed hungrily.

He tried to remember that these nights were few and far between…that nothing was guaranteed beyond this moment, and that it should be savored. But the beauty he treasured lay spread out beneath him, achingly tempting and as wanting as he was.

And Aizen Sousuke found himself losing control.

He blazed a line of fierce kisses down the soft abdomen and sank his tongue into the navel, sucking deeply. The noble's body trembled and he moaned loudly, arching his back. Sousuke kissed his way down further, igniting another, heavy, panting moan and the noble's body shook softly. He pleasured the sweet nether region with loving care, and the noble's fingers threaded into his hair, eagerly encouraging him. As he moved, his eye caught the sight of a pale hand clenching the sheets, of a back arched in bliss, a lovely face bathed in pleasure. He intensified the pleasure even more and watched the sleek body tighten and tremble.

He wanted more. He wanted to make that pale, beautiful body shake harder…to make the noble moan even louder…to make him lose control…to make him scream.

He moved down even further, pushing the noble's thighs wide and teasing him with hot breath, a soft kiss, a probing tongue. Byakuya's eyes flickered, and went wide and black as his lover began the preparation for their lovemaking. Aizen almost laughed at the eager hips that bucked upward, at the impatient hands that clenched and unclenched, at the soft, pleading words that escaped Byakuya's lips.

"Ah…kami, Sousuke, please…"

The words were irresistible, falling from lips that never would say such things in the light of day…in a place other than this one bathed in full moonlight. He responded immediately, forgetting restraint, forgetting to slow down and savor, forgetting everything but his need to bury himself in his lover's core, to disappear into heated flesh and beautiful cries until both were sated.

He knelt over his spellbound love, smiling down into that sweet, wanting expression, one that no one else would ever see spread across those pristine features, he brought their bodies together, slowly to enjoy the pleasant warmth of the joining.

Buried in the noble's body, he brought his own down onto the other and brought their mouths together for a bout of fierce, deep kisses. He drew back slightly, then began moving, slowly at first, waiting to add speed and strength when Byakuya parted his blushing lips to plead for them. And then he gave everything in hard, lovely thrusts, in fiery kisses, in tightened hands that dug into the pale white flesh as they raged more fiercely against each other. He gazed down at the beautiful sight of Byakuya, wild eyed, gasping and panting, his body shaking madly, no sign of control anywhere. He smiled contentedly, bringing them over and into bliss, and watched the dark eyes blaze, the slender back arch wildly and the noble's mouth open into hard screams of pleasure. He drank in the sight and sound, letting it take him over the edge, off and into oblivion. His own body shook with hard pulses of release and he moaned and panted against his lover's sweat-slicked throat.

He let his head rest against a soft, pale shoulder, following the path of the noble's upturned eyes and staring at a blanket of stars that danced around the huge white moon.

He didn't want to break the moonspell, but he longed for more.

"Will you not stay with me until morning?" he whispered, watching the blood still pulsing, moving the skin of his lover's throat.

Byakuya turned and met the mouth that uttered those warm words with deeply pleasant, lingering kisses and a whispered promise to return when the moon shone full again.

"But," he said softly, "I must leave before the last star fades or the moonspell will be broken and I may not come again."

"And you want to come back to me?" Sousuke asked, smiling.

"Always," whispered the noble, "It is the only time I feel alive."

"But you will not stay."

"I cannot stay. Our worlds would collide and we would be broken, so this is the best that we can hope for. For now…"

"For now," Sousuke whispered back, capturing the sweet lips again.

They rose as far as their knees and shared a last few needy kisses, then Byakuya slipped out of the bed and leaned over his lover, bringing his lips to Aizen Sousuke's one final time. When the kiss ended, his lover's eyes drifted closed and sleep overtook him. Byakuya stood gazing down for a moment longer, then turned away and slipped back into his nightclothes. A hell butterfly floated by and a doorway opened, leading him out of the cool, desert night and back to his own garden. Silent steps carried him back through the garden and into his room. He slid back beneath the covers and closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep with a contented sigh.

When dawn returned, Kuchiki Byakuya rose and showered, then stepped naked into the dressing area. He paused for a moment, noticing the light bruise on his thigh and the red marking on his throat, and wondering where they came from. It always seemed to happen on the nights when there was a full moon. He shook his head in resignation, then pulled on his shihakushou…then the fingerless gloves. He wrapped the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu around his pale throat, careful to cover the red marking. Then he set the kenseiken and haori in place and stepped out into the brightness of morning.

Somehow the flowers smelled more strongly and the colors looked brighter, but without considering why, he turned out of the garden and made his way out the front of Kuchiki Manor and onto the streets of the Seireitei. He walked with carefully measured steps, looking neither left nor right, oblivious to everything. He arrived early at the Squad Six Headquarters and took his place at his desk, smiling as Renji burst in just a moment later. He hid the smile and looked up dispassionately.

"Good morning, Abarai Renji," he said in the usual tranquil tone.

"Good morning,Taichou!" Renji greeted him enthusiastically,

He moved to his desk and sat down, then stopped to study Byakuya for a moment.

"Taichou," he said, furrowing his brow, "you look especially…content…today. You must have slept well."

"Yes," he said quietly, slowly blinking, "I slept well and had nothing but pleasant dreams."

"That's good," Renji said, turning back to his work.

"Yes," Byakuya whispered, "It is good."

XXXXXXXXXX

Aizen Sousuke smelled something delightfully sweet. He opened his eyes and found himself lying naked in his bed, his body covered in a blanket of cherry blossoms. He touched a soft petal with his fingertip.

"This is the best we can hope for…for now…my Byakuya."


	2. The Stolen Moment

**Chapter 2: The Stolen Moment**

**(Chapter edited to fit M rating, meaning there are NO GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF SEX, as per the site rules.)**

Aizen Sousuke stood alone at the top of Las Noches, steps from the bed he had shared with the moonstruck Kuchiki Byakuya. The cherry blossoms still lay scattered and he breathed in their sweet scent, mixed with the scents of their passionate coupling. The feel of petal soft skin still registered on his and he could still feel the movement of the sleek, powerful body writhing madly against his, straining for completion. His heart burned with desire. He wanted to look into the dark depths of those gray eyes, to see them in daylight, still hazed and wanting, filled with a lust only his body could sate…filled with want that only his soul could satisfy.

But there were reasons why things were as they were…why the moonspell had been necessary. It was something begun long ago, before the betrayal. So many years ago…when he had been taking a moonlight walk, when he had felt reiatsu rising all around him, the cry of a soul in mourning.

_He felt the strong reiatsu and he knew who it was and why. Faced with the loss of his wife, of course his heart was broken. It was only natural that he would need to mourn her. And being that he lived among the heartless nobles, the ones who looked down on everyone not of noble descent, the ones who held themselves above the laws that ruled all others, the ones favored of the soul king, Kuchiki Byakuya would not dare to share his pain with any of them. No, he would come somewhere out of the way like this to let the pain pour out of him…to cry the tears not allowed in the presence of anyone else, to honor the loss he was not allowed to acknowledge because by loving her at all, he had broken their rules._

_Respecting his need for privacy, Aizen Sousuke had flash stepped into the trees and prepared to walk away. But something made him stop and turn…the sound of a heartbroken sob. And, turning, he saw something he was sure no one had ever witnessed. _

_Kuchiki Byakuya's already pale form had gone even more pale and he had abandoned the confines of his shihakushou in favor of a flowing white yukata…simple for one such as him. The long black strands of silken hair were loose and tormented by the breezes, whipping beautifully around an angelic face that somehow managed to maintain its stoic dignity while enduring a rain of tears down the porcelain cheeks. He had dropped to his knees at the edge of a cold blue moonlit lake and was staring down into his own tortured gray eyes, as if by looking into them, he could feel somehow less alone, less like the one weed in a bed of flowers, the one sour note in a chorus of sweet sounds._

_Aizen Sousuke didn't know quite what came over him, but he found himself suddenly kneeling alongside the other, staring, as he did, down into the pained depths of steely gray. Byakuya's head turned and Aizen's eyes lifted to meet his directly. Immediately, he recognized the struggle to regain control, to master his responses, to shut down everything not proper and refined. His heart ached at the sight and he reached out and placed a hand on the other's face, only to find that his skin was, indeed, as soft as it looked. Aizen was enchanted._

"_My apologies, Byakuya," he said, looking into the half controlled gaze, "but I could not help but see that you looked like someone who might want a bit of comfort."_

_The gray eyes stared for a moment longer, then were brought back into some kind of order._

"_You have my apologies, Aizen Taichou. I should have sensed your presence and moved elsewhere to conduct my…grievances."_

_A slender, pale hand rose to gently remove his from the noble's face. Aizen continued to stare for a moment longer, then he rose and drew Byakuya to his feet. The noble's eyes were lowered, but Aizen could still feel the weight of them pressing in on him. All at once, he wanted desperately to see them again…for a longer duration. He held Byakuya's cool hand in his and placed his other hand on his shoulder, looking back into his eyes with kindness._

"_Come…we'll have a cup of green tea and you may collect yourself before you return to them."_

_He expected Byakuya to refuse, to turn away and disappear…and indeed, he did turn his eyes away, as if planning his escape. Then a long sigh ran through him and his eyes fell, and he turned to follow in silence as Aizen led the way. They walked slowly along the near-silent trail, back to the edge of the lake and into Aizen's home._

_He knew it was a simple place, not like the lovely expanse of the manor that the noble inhabited, but Byakuya seemed enchanted by the tiny flowers that dotted the grasses, by the presence of moss at the edges of the walkway, by the lack of any fences…_

"_You have a lovely home, Aizen Taichou," he murmured softly as they entered the house._

_He paused to admire the dark stained wood paneling inside, the warm earthen tones and the large bay window that looked out over the water. He stood in silence, letting his eyes play over its riled surface, trying to remember how it felt to be submerged in icy coolness, floating at the surface instead of sinking slowly into the depths. A warm hand delivered him a cup of tea and a hand on his arm guided him to a chair. He sat down, sipping at the tea, looking into Aizen Sousuke's gentle brown eyes and wondering why he had accepted his invitation. He certainly wouldn't have expected it of himself. But some part of him, he thought, needed to not feel so alone. Some part of him needed companionship, affection, love…_

_He blinked, surprised at himself and suddenly felt uncomfortable. He turned his eyes to contemplate his teacup and tried not to notice the dark, intelligent eyes that were looking at him with so much warmth._

_He suddenly felt exhausted…overwhelmed by the long vigil of Hisana's last days, of the official steps of resolution, of paying respect, of mourning in secret. The weight of it was simply too much. He brought a hand to his face to brush the feeling away, then unexpectedly felt the teacup being taken from his hand. He looked up and found that the gentle brown eyes were much closer…and that something odd was sweeping through them. He heard the cup being set down, then warm hands were holding his face and the brown eyes held his steadily as the distance was closed between them. He felt the encircling of arms, the brush of a cheek against his and the soft touch of lips and breath tickling his earlobe._

"_You need to know that it is all right to feel, Kuchiki Byakuya…It is all right to follow your heart…and when it is broken, it is all right to mourn."_

_He was silent for a moment, trembling softly at the closeness of the other, at the way it was making him feel…He didn't dare…_

"_I loved outside of the boundaries," he said softly, "I knew the cost. To break with the rules and mores of one's family is to plead for solitude. I burdened them with my disobedience when I married her. I will not suffer them to see me mourn the one they refused to acknowledge. It would do her no honor and would only allow them to think that it is just penance for my misdeed."_

"_I understand," Aizen said soothingly, "but you are not among them. You are here at the edge of a quiet wood, beside a clear lake, along forest paths. Certainly, this is a place you might allow yourself to feel something of your loss."_

_Byakuya felt a shiver pass through him as the hand on his shoulder found his cheek again and brushed its fine curves with soft fingertips. He reached up to remove the hand from his face, but found that it only captured his and he was only drawn closer to the other. His face was nearly resting on Aizen Sousuke's shoulder and he could feel the other's breath against his skin._

_He remembered the feel of gentle hands touching his face…of the scent of flowers…of the tickle of soft laughter. He pushed the thought away, but found that hands had taken hold of his face and the brown eyes were staring hard down into his…_

"_Don't do that," Aizen said softly, "Don't push away the things that are beautiful. Don't lose yourself in darkness and forget the one comfort you have! Remember what it feels like to touch her hand, to hold her in your arms, to kiss her lips."_

_Byakuya tore free of the warm hands, the gentle eyes, the too beautiful words. It was too much._

"_I cannot let myself feel those things," he whispered, "because all I know now is pain when I feel them. Those things are gone and will never return. Never…"_

_Aizen contemplated the long swirls of black hair that spilled down over the whiteness of the fine cloth and wondered how it would look spread over the noble's pale skin. He stepped closer again, touching his shoulder, turning him…and somehow Kuchiki Byakuya was curling warmly into his arms. He contemplated for a moment the stunned gray eyes, then lowered his lips and captured Byakuya's in a slow, lingering kiss. The noble froze for a moment, as though having lost his equilibrium and Aizen kissed him again, harder and with more passion._

_Byakuya tried to pull away, but Aizen's arms wrapped around him and held him firmly against a body that purred with warmth and comfort. And for all that he believed that he could do without comfort, Byakuya felt his resolve begin to crumble. So he let himself be held, telling himself it was just for this moment, just this one time. It was a quiet, removed place and there was no one there to see. There was no harm in allowing himself this one indulgence._

_The warm lips moved against his…firmer and with more intensity and a different taste than the ones he was trying not to think about. He pressed his lips more firmly to them and settled more deeply into the comfort of those arms with a soft sigh. His eyes caught the brown eyes of Aizen Sousuke and Byakuya felt his breath leave him. He had thought this to be simple comfort…the comfort of a warm embrace, of some gentle kisses and touches, but he saw now what was awakening in those eyes and felt a sharp stab of something that felt like fear._

_He stepped back, but Aizen moved with him, pushing him back against the wall, meeting him open mouthed this time. Byakuya tried to object, but a hot tongue slipped between his parted lips and the words disappeared into an explosion of heat and touch. Aizen's tongue slid slowly along his, tasting him, teasing him, bringing life back into him. Warm breath touched his face and tickled his throat as the devilish tongue worked its way deeper into his mouth, stroking and tasting until Byakuya could feel his knees weakening._

_He was falling, sliding down the dark, wooden paneling, sinking to the floor. But Aizen didn't let him fall. Instead, he was lifted and carried a short distance, then brought down into an unbearably soft and comfortable bed. He looked up and saw Aizen remove his haori and glasses…slide the shihakushou off of the strong shoulders…bare himself to the waist. Byakuya blinked, unbelieving. Given a moment to think, he thought better of what he was doing and rolled to his feet, turning to flash step to the door. Aizen moved with him and the door closed. He was turned and pushed back into it and Aizen's hands held his tightly._

"_Don't run from this," the gentle voice purred in his ear, "You need comfort. You need to know that you are valued, that you are respected…that you are loved…"_

_The admission shocked both of them, Byakuya into staring, wide-eyed and Aizen into taking possession once again of the heavenly mouth and treating it to a thrill of deep, penetrating kisses that silenced the noble again, that made his legs weaken beneath him, that allowed Aizen to lift him and bring him down again onto the bed. Byakuya melted beneath the warmth of the words, the tenderness of the kisses and barely felt the hands that bared his flesh and began to explore him._

_He only knew that despite his loss, he still wanted to be loved, to be held, to be kissed and touched. He wanted to disappear into warm eyes and feel the heat of passion wrap around him and carry him away. But those things were gone…had died with her. He wasn't supposed to be feeling this! Why was he letting this happen?_

_Why did he want to feel those strong hands that were not like hers travel the curves of his body, touch him where no man's hands had touched him before? Why did it feel so good to be held, to hear the soft words of comfort and affection delivered from those perfect lips? Then to have those lips join the warm hands that explored him, to have them touch his skin with such gentleness and care that it brought tears to his eyes…It wasn't right that it should be this way! That he should want this so badly…that he should want so much for him to continue touching, kissing, exploring, calming, loving him like this._

"_Aizen Taichou…please…stop…" he gasped._

_A lusting pink tongue sank into his navel and he felt his thoughts fly away. He couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, couldn't think as that wicked tongue sank into that place again and the warm mouth closed around it, sending him into a dizzy headlong spin._

_The mouth was removed from his navel and Aizen's lips returned to his ear._

"_You want me to stop, Byakuya? Are you sure about that?" he asked, capturing an earlobe and teasing it lovingly._

_Aizen's hands took hold of his face and he brought his body to rest warmly all along the length of the entrapped noble's. Byakuya felt a fast blush rising on his skin. This was wrong! It was wrong and he knew it…so why did he want it so badly?_

"_It's too soon," he said, almost pleadingly, "It's only been…"_

"_What is too soon, Byakuya?" Aizen whispered, "Haven't you yet learned that it can all end in a moment? Do you want to waste precious time worrying about what is right and proper? What about what is real and right in front of you?"_

_He nuzzled the noble's cheek and fell upon the pale throat, teasing it with kisses and soft nips as the noble struggled for breath…and even more, some kind of meaningful response. But he couldn't think of an argument…anything to combat the simple truth that there was only this moment and that nothing was guaranteed beyond that. Aizen saw his hesitation and overpowered his lips with a rain of heavy kisses. He captured the hands that rose to object and brought them down on either side of his head. Strong hips moved against his, creating dizzying, wonderful friction. He moaned at the rough feel of Aizen's hakama that still separated them and felt his breath leave him again as that last impediment suddenly disappeared._

_Then hot flesh burned against his, and the shockingly beautiful sensations continued. That eager mouth took hold of his again, penetrating with an insatiable, demanding tongue, consuming the moans of pleasure and want that he could no longer contain. And still…even having so much, Byakuya wanted more…_

"_Aizen Taichou…" he moaned._

_The dark brown eyes found his and Aizen smiled warmly._

"_I think you are not asking me to stop anymore," the pleasant voice whispered, "Well then…if you are sure…"_

_He slipped his fingers into the noble's open mouth and Byakuya ran his mouth up and down the lengths of them, enjoying the hard penetration of his mouth, the curious fingers that caressed the soft tongue that stroked them. Then the fingers were withdrawn and he was turned onto his stomach…and the warm hands pulled his hair back and released it to drop and swirl onto his back. He felt the hungry eyes staring and a shiver passed through him. A hand stroked his hair and slid down his back, then Aizen placed a line of hot kisses all down the length of his spine. An arm wrapped around him as Aizen began to prepare him. He couldn't stifle a needy, wanton moan at the feeling and he heard Aizen's soft chuckle at the sound. Byakuya's eyes closed as he let go and sank into the beautiful sensation. Those loving hands grew more insistent, and he shifted uncomfortably, a shiver running down his spine. Soft lips found his lower back and a deep, compelling voice soothed him. He moved with the hand that pleasured him and moaned Aizen's name._

_He felt the impact of his utterance in the tightening of the hands that touched him and in the sudden small shock of pain Aizen's preparations caused. He gasped, and was treated to another soft rendering of kisses along his back and a soft, apologetic sigh._

_Aizen stopped for a moment and Byakuya felt fingers stroke his hair and the skin of his back as the soothing voice calmed him and took the tension out of his body. Aizen moved forward again, then again until fully joined with the noble. He gazed down at the fall of black hair against the lovely pale skin of his back and licked his lips. Dropping down, he rested the length of his body all along Byakuya's back. He longed to move, but waited, pulling the hair away from the pale neck and kissing and nipping lightly until he felt the tension release. A smile lit his face and he breathed his affection onto the fine, soft skin. He felt Byakuya shiver beneath him. Wrapping a hand around his slim waist and taking hold of him, Aizen began to move._

_Byakuya couldn't help but release a soft, wounded cry at the intrusion…at the invasion of his body that was different from anything he had known before. The body above his held him tightly in place, the firm hands stroking him relentlessly, the tender invasion making him feel as though he would melt. He felt a longing, a sudden feeling of want and lifted his hips, changing the angle of their bodies, deepening the wonderful sensations. His breath left him again in a sharp, cry of intense pleasure. Something inside told him to stop, that such behavior was unacceptable, but the touches of his lover's hands and their intense movements had hold of him now…and he suddenly lost all ability to reason. Pleasure exploded all through his body and his surprised member released. He felt Aizen move one last time, holding his hips tightly in place, gasping and moaning as heat erupted within Byakuya's hungry depths…filling him, sating both, leaving them sighing and trembling against each other._

_Aizen rested warmly along his back, releasing gentle words of affection. The warmth of words, of touches and kisses burned against Byakuya's aching heart and he felt tears in his eyes. He turned his face into the pillow and heard words he couldn't understand. Then he was being moved, turned, brought close to another, held tightly and soothed with light, gentle kisses and a hand that stroked his hair. He closed his eyes and sank into the warmth, weary of feeling, wanting silence and peace. He drifted off in Aizen Sousuke's arms and slept blissfully until near dawn._

_Aizen woke to find himself alone in his bed…a few strands of black hair still trapped in his fingers. He sighed softly and shook his head, feeling sad that the noble could not allow himself any weakness, any moment of peace and contentment without paying for it after. He knew Byakuya was somewhere quiet, furiously hating himself for granting himself a short moment of happiness, warmth and contentment during a time of loss. He knew not to expect Byakuya to return…but he didn't expect the coldness, the icy stares, the lack of acknowledgement he experienced every time he saw the noble after that._

_Slowly, the warmth and sympathy, the kindness and gentleness he had felt for Byakuya faded…and the noble became just another one of them…the ones who held themselves above the rest…were better than everyone else for no better reason than a family name. So when he planned his revenge against the king who had forgotten his people, against the nobles who held themselves above the rest…he chose the one person among the nobles who he felt had hurt him the most…and used the one he knew he secretly cared for as a piece of his plan._

_It wasn't until that last day, the day of his departure for Las Noches, that he saw it again…the desperate, reckless willingness to break the rules…a moment of mad weakness that threatened his very life…that snap decision to abandon rules and regulations and to follow his heart. Then Gin's blade tore through that heart and Aizen Sousuke watched in stunned surprise as the red fluid poured out onto the ground…as knees once weakened with love, gave way beneath him and the noble dropped to the ground. It was inexplicable…He had been mistaken. Their coupling had been no mistake. A heart did beat beneath the surface of that proud, noble flesh. He was right about what he had seen…only now, Byakuya's heart was torn, bleeding, broken. The noble was suffering…dying before his eyes._

_As the golden light lifted him away, he studied the still form held tightly in Kuchiki Rukia's arms and he promised himself that he would make things right between them again. _

Aizen Sousuke sighed and rested his face against the glass wall, looking out over the spinning sands. Even the moonspell hadn't fixed things. Byakuya only listened to his heart while in its thrall. When light returned, so did the coldness, the loneliness, the heartbrokenness. If only there was a way to make him listen to his heart by light of day…to help him find again the love they shared that first time…the one repeated under the light of each full moon.

He would do it. He would find a way. He would do it tonight…travel to the Seireitei, take the noble from his bed and bring him here. He would lock him within the dome and make him listen to reason. It was desperate…and unbecoming of the leader of the hollows. But it was what was in Aizen Sousuke's heart, and he was going to listen! A slow smile spread across his face as he opened the door and descended the steps. He would go there tonight and shatter the bonds that held his lover hostage.


	3. The Abduction

**Chapter 3: The Abduction**

**(Thanks so much to everyone reading, especially reviewers Voltaire Rousseau (Aww, thanks for the sweet words and cybercookies! And feel free to PM to banter about stories. I'll help if I can! I'm in and out of town visiting with my very ill friend, so don't worry if it takes me a bit to answer. I'll do my best to get back to you quickly!), Lilbit1016 (Aww, thanks so much!), MissLilly2012 (I'm glad it's just as good as you remember! And I'm finishing it this time. I love the way it's coming out now.) and Relena-hime (Well, you are in luck, because I don't write tragedies. There are enough of those in RL! This will be a yummy romance with a side of drama, my favorite!) Aizenjoy the chapter! :)**

Byakuya bid Renji the usual farewell and turned to walk back along the streets of the Seireitei toward Kuchiki Manor. It being a day of some importance, his step was somewhat faster and he walked with more purpose. He passed through the gates and greeted the housekeeper, then turned down the walkway toward his room. Unlike most nights, he did not pause at the doorway to remove his shoes. That would come later.

He walked to the dressing area and shed the trappings of his power and status, setting aside everything but the man underneath, the one unseen by anyone since Hisana. Well…except for that one time…

He brushed off the thought with a touch of irritation. No one, he thought, wants to be plagued with thoughts of their past mistakes, especially not on such an evening as this…one under such a lovely moon and beneath a blanket of stars, the kind of night that would have had them leaving the confines of house and even garden to move out along the forest trail, past the moonlit waterfall and into the misted field beyond. They would lie in the long grasses and breathe the fresh, cool air, air that smelled like water and crushed grass and flowers.

He slipped into a flowing white yukata that had been the one she favored seeing him in, that he only wore on this same night every year. She'd loved the way the breezes would lift and move its light folds, how it contrasted with his hair. She said that it made him look like an angel. He had smiled tolerantly at the suggestion, but he knew even then that there was nothing divine about him…and he was wholly undeserving of someone with such a pure heart. He still wondered at her having been sent to Inuzuri. Some things simply made no sense at all to him. Like how one so unlike the nobles on the inside could grow up to lead the very ones who would disown him if they ever learned who he really was. Sometimes it showed itself and immediately they chided him for his defiance…for choosing a bride who was not of noble lineage, for bringing another peasant into the house and family in a second major fracturing of the rules, and for his occasional tendency to make decisions from the heart, rather than based on duty.

He brushed the thoughts away as he freed himself from all of the reminders…the stiff confines of the kenseiken, the ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu that sometimes felt more like a tightening noose, the soft, but weighty haori and even the simple shihakushou. The softer fabric of the light yukata allowed him deeper breaths and more latitude for movement. As it settled around him, his heart grew lighter and the weight on his heart eased.

It was with that lighter heart that he left the house and walked through the gardens, enjoying the lovely scents of flowers and sakura. He passed out of the back gate and turned away from the forest path, toward the darker environs of the family cemetery. He remembered to capture several handfuls of flower petals and blossoms and to slip them into the pockets for use later. Even as the pathway around him grew darker, he walked with a light, confident step, knowing exactly how to place his feet to avoid any impediment. The breeze was colder here, but he was beyond concern, his mind locked on that place just a short distance ahead. So driven, he didn't notice the soft motion of the brush behind him or the eyes that followed him as he reached Hisana's grave and dropped calmly to his knees in the dewy grass.

He pulled the petals and blossoms free and released them into the air to float down and settle onto the grave. His eyes followed them, softening with memory as they fell and took their places on the grass in front of him. He looked down at them, remembering the softness of her touch, the sweetness of her kiss, the light sound of her voice and the tinkle of laughter. And unlike those first difficult years, his lips curled into a smile at the memory. It was, after all of these years, getting easier. He was moving forward. Telling Rukia the truth had been like opening the wound, releasing everything dark and foul and allowing healing to begin. And now he was lighter of heart and clearer of mind, but he knew that if Hisana could speak to him that she would tell him the same thing she did that last day. His lips moved, repeating her words, reminding himself of another promise he had made…one he had yet to keep.

"I remember what you said, all of those years ago. I haven't forgotten those words or my promise. It has taken many years to feel calm inside again, to be able to look at plum blossoms, to gaze up at the moon, to wear this yukata, and to do these things without feeling the weight of sadness. You made me promise to find happiness and contentment again and I have. I know that I gave my word that I would open my heart to love again, but the time has never been right and there is no one, in any case, who my heart feels inclined to love. I know you are gone and that I cannot withhold my heart from another if the feeling takes me, but as of yet, the time has not come, that other person has not appeared. So that last promise must wait. And while it does, I will continue to walk the forest path and enjoy the cool breezes. I will smell the scents of water, flowers and crushed grass and feel your presence beside me. As I wait for what comes, I won't forget to honor the one who set me on the path. And when that person finds me, I will honor you by taking the hand that reaches for mine."

The breeze moved his hair and set the flowing fabric around him in motion. And to the eyes that watched, he did look like an angel…and the words that fell from his lips were like sweet angelsong. He knew now that the time was right, that what he was about to do was the right thing. He didn't expect that Byakuya would agree, or that he would fall into Aizen Sousuke's arms readily. He was in for a fight, an epic battle of wills. He was about to reacquaint himself with his lover's nasty side, the stuck up, better than you, noble side that only existed to protect the very fragile heart beneath. He knew, however to approach the challenge carefully. It would do him no good to shatter his lover's defenses if it also meant breaking the heart beneath it. No, Byakuya's heart was already damaged…and still in stages of healing. It must be treated carefully to avoid being damaged even more. But if there was one thing Aizen Sousuke loved, it was a challenge.

He continued to follow Byakuya as the noble rose from his place beside Hisana's grave, the white fabric wet and slightly stained at the knees. He passed the gate and continued toward the waterfall, a lovely, glowing spectral figure, bathed in moonlight and touched by the shine of stars, the curl of soft breezes and the softly falling spring blossoms all around. He reached the ledge overlooking the waterfall and flash stepped down, letting his footfalls rile the surface of the lake beneath, then sweeping into the long wet grasses. He dropped down into them and Aizen Sousuke could have laughed aloud at the sight of him turning onto his stomach, threading his fingers through the grasses, picking the tiny flowers hidden there, then lifting them to breathe in their sweet scent before releasing them into the air. He watched them catch the moonlight for a moment before being swept onto the surface of the lake to spin and float as Byakuya rolled onto his back to contemplate the moon and stars. It was a sight so enchanting that Aizen Sousuke feared he would lose control, tumble down off of the ledge and give himself away. He swallowed hard, hanging onto his control by a thread as Byakuya smiled into the sky, fabric and skin lit as if from within, his fingertips curling around long blades of grass. He remained still and quiet, staring up into the sky until a shiver of cold finally reached through the damp, stained fabric and sank beneath his skin.

Byakuya rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his knees, taking a moment to shake out his hair and brush the bits of grass and flowers from his clothes. He stood and looked at the moon and stars reflected in the lake and flash stepped back up the face of the small cliff. He walked slowly back down the trail, his clothing hanging limply and spotted with soil and markings from the grass. His hair was tumbled and slightly wild, still containing a few stubborn petals. But none of that bothered him. Hot water would remove the soil from his body and his staff was excellent at removing the stains from the yukata once each year and restoring it to its pristine state.

He passed through the gate and into his room, leaving the garden doors open as he moved into the dressing area and slipped out of the yukata. He wrapped a towel around his hips and stepped back across the room to the shower, unaware that as soon as the door to the bathroom closed, a shadowy form slipped into his room. The invader's zanpakutou concealed him as he breathed in the sweet scents that still rose up from the white yukata and then slipped back behind the row of neatly ordered clothes. When the bathroom door opened and Byakuya stepped back into the dressing area, he paused for a moment, as though sensing something odd in the air, then he shook the water out of his hair and turned to contemplate which yukata to wear. As he paused to survey them, the dark red one slipped free of its hanger and dropped to the floor at his feet with a soft swish. His head tilted slightly, he bent to retrieve it, then as an afterthought, he slipped it around his slender form and tied it in place, letting an eye drift to the mirror to make certain everything was back in order. His eyes blinked sleepily and, seeing nothing was amiss, he turned out of the dressing area and slipped into bed, turning to face the open garden doors. He let the moonlight fill his eyes to make the lids grow heavy, then blinked slowly once, twice and a third time before letting them remain closed. A soft sigh escaped him as sleep took over.

When the rise and fall of his breathing had slowed and grown steady and even, Aizen Sousuke emerged and moved silently across the room to the bed. He paused for a long moment, letting his eyes rest on the peacefully sleeping form, letting them run down the curves of shoulder, chest, waist, hip and thigh, all draped in fine satin and shining under the moon. He hated to disturb the quiet, to steal into this peaceful place and break the silence. He wondered what they would do when they found he was missing…when he did not appear in the garden the next morning for tea and breakfast before going off to work. Guilt touched him for a moment, but Aizen Sousuke was never one to let guilt rule him, so he shouldered it and let it go, then turned and extended his hands, letting his power flow out into the sleeping shinigami to deepen his sleep, to keep him submerged while he was lifted into his lover's arms, carried out into the garden and taken through the garganta.

He let himself breathe again when they touched down in the soft, cold sand. He gently kissed the noble's brow and promised to let him wake soon, then turned into the courtyard, walking calmly past the staring guards, into the entry, up the large staircase and down the hallway to his guarded door. The guards bowed their heads and stepped back, opening his door and allowing him to pass into the room. He closed the door behind him and carefully laced his fingers into those of a soft, pale hand.

Byakuya stirred softly, but was sent back to sleep with a small flare of power. Aizen waited quietly with Byakuya still sleeping in his arms as the doorway opened and the stairway appeared. He carried his lover up the stairs and laid him down in the soft, comfortable bed, assuring with a final spell that he would sleep soundly until the next day.

Aizen Sousuke could not help but slip into bed next to him, to curl his body warmly around that other, the one he so loved, but was only allowed to hold under the spell of the full moon…well, until tonight anyway. There was no moonspell now, only the spell placed around him to make him remain asleep so that he would not suddenly wake and kill the traitor who had taken him. Aizen used the time to make peace with what he was about to do, with how long he might have to wait, with how hard he would have to battle, to help Byakuya hear the sound of his own heart.

He listened to the sound of it beating beneath the powerful, slender breast and threaded his fingers through the lovely strands of raven black hair. He let his fingers brush against the peaceful face, unhappy that it must endure such frustration, all for the purpose of seeing through the illusions to what was real.

To ease his guilt, he whispered soft words of affection to his lover as he slept and placed tender kisses on forehead, brow, cheeks and lips. He remained curled around Byakuya's softness and warmth until the stars began to dim and light began to return to the sky. Slowly, he pulled free and turned back, waves of guilt taking him as he sealed away the noble's power, as he crossed the room and passed out of it, locking Byakuya inside. He sighed softly and leaned against the place where the wall had just closed, separating them and starting the necessary unpleasantness.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya's eyes opened, but he was certain that he must somehow still be asleep. He knew he had fallen asleep in his own bed…in Kuchiki Manor…in the Seireitei. But as he blinked and stared and tried to wake himself, he slowly realized that it wasn't a dream. He wasn't in his room, at Kuchiki Manor, about to start another normal day. Through some inexplicable turn of events, he had been taken as he slept, spirited out of his home and away, through the garganta…into the deadness of Hueco Mundo, and into the very heart of his enemy's demesnes.

He sat up slowly, his head still spinning with the force of the spell that had made him remain asleep. He sensed immediately the eyes that watched him. It was to be expected, of course. He was a powerful enemy, dangerous even with his power sealed away. Aizen Sousuke had to be aware of this. He would wait to approach the noble once he felt assured that Byakuya understood his situation.

And the situation was all too clear.

It made sense for Aizen to take him, to steal his strength from the Gotei 13…to lock his power away inside him and to lock his body away in a place no one could hope to reach. Byakuya's breath caught in his chest and he struggled to push down the feeling of despair that was rising up inside. If he had been alone before, if he had been longing for love and companionship, if his world had been missing something that he had only begun to have hope he would ever find, his hopes had just been dashed…and his fate sealed, his world made more lonely…if that was possible. Now, instead of being surrounded by his nicely ordered world, he was surrounded by dead things and sand…traitors and tormentors. He allowed himself a scant moment of sorrow, a shiver of fear, then his back straightened and he slipped out of bed, slowly making his way around the room and acquainting himself with every inch.

The room itself was large and comfortably airy, with a huge glass dome that rose over it, providing sweeping views of the desert around the fortress. From here he could see everything, from the courtyard entrance all of the way to the shinigami base far in the distance. As the sun rose over the dome, the glass darkened and cool air was sent through vents into the room. All around its edges were comfortable places to sit and look out at the desert…or, at night, up into the stars. Despite being caged and alone, he imagined that the stars must be enchanting, viewed from this place. The bed he had awakened in and every other bit of furniture was soft and deeply comfortable. There was an armoire on one side of the room that contained clothing made to his size. And as he moved from piece to piece, he ran his fingers over the fine cloth and thought that they must have been tailored to his size by someone who knew his craft. All in all, Byakuya could not imagine a nicer room, a more comfortable place, or a more confusing situation.

He was a prisoner…wasn't he?

Or was this something else? But that had been so many years ago, before the betrayal. This could not be about that…Aizen Sousuke had shown beyond doubt that those feelings were left behind when he used Rukia in his plans. Byakuya had hurt him and he returned the hurt in kind. He still had the faint, light scar to prove it.

But try as he might, search as he might, wonder as he might, in the end, Kuchiki Byakuya could not figure out why this had been done. His mind whirling with questions, he sat cross-legged on the bed and let his face fall into his hands. So wrapped up in his confusion as he was, he didn't hear the door slide silently open then closed or see the one who entered the room and moved to his side. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a warm hand came to rest on his shoulder and he heard someone say his name.


	4. Conditions of Release

**Chapter 4: Conditions of Release**

**(Thanks again to everyone reading! Especially to reviewers Lilbit1016 (Yeah, I don't think he's going to be pleased at all! lol But that makes it fun.), Yaya (Yup, it was here before, but was mistakenly deleted, so is coming back and getting finished. So glad you like it!), Sariniste (Yeah, this is a kind of abduction one might actually dream of!), MissLilly2012 (Yeah, Aizen better have taken out fire insurance!), Kintama-hime (lol, I don't think I'd hold out for a minute!), SlytherinQueen020 (I think Aizen makes a very sexy kidnapper and Byakuya does the captive thing really nicely!), Relena-hime (Aww, you're welcome. I can't read tragedies. I like some angst, but need that happy, or at least amusing ending. Hmmm, mpreg...you've got me thinking now!) Ah, back to writing!)**

Given the facts of his situation, Aizen Sousuke was amazed at the poise Byakuya managed to cling to even as he jumped back from the hand that touched his shoulder and came to his feet on the other side of the bed, glaring at the one who had taken him from the safety of his own room and brought him to Hueco Mundo.

"Byakuya," he said quietly.

The noble looked back at him with fury in his eyes. His body shook softly with something that more resembled rage than fear.

"Why have you done this? How?" Byakuya whispered.

"What do your instincts tell you?" Aizen asked, not meaning to play games, but rather realizing that Byakuya wasn't likely to believe a thing he said.

He would have to draw his own conclusions.

Byakuya stared warily into the brown eyes of his captor and Aizen could see him struggling with the realities of his position.

"My instincts tell me…that you have multiple agendas, and that nothing you say or do can be trusted."

"Can you trust your own eyes? Can you trust what you see around you?" Aizen asked, taking a step forward.

Byakuya stepped back.

"I cannot trust anything I perceive," he whispered, "because your weapon makes it possible for you to make me see, sense…anything you want me to. Did you think that I would forget that?" Byakuya asked, frowning.

"No," said Aizen softly, "I did not think you would forget. But this could be a problem. You see, if you trust nothing…how will you draw conclusions? If you do not believe," he said stepping around the bed and closing in on the noble, "what you senses tell you, then how will you decide what to do?"

"What game are you playing with my mind? Are you taking your revenge?" Byakuya asked, stepping back and stopping against a glass wall.

"Do you think I want revenge? What terrible thing have you done lately that would make me want revenge? I will admit that my use of Rukia in my plans was a form of revenge, but the summations of you that led me to make that decision were faulty. In short, I misunderstood you. I took as a personal rejection something that might not have been meant that way. Isn't it true, that you didn't actually blame me for taking advantage of you that night? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that you were angry at yourself for giving in to me?"

"You know less than nothing about what I think…what I feel. If you knew either of these things, you wouldn't have brought me here…"

"Why do you think I brought you here, Byakuya?" Aizen asked, meeting his eyes steadily.

"How am I supposed to know that?" Byakuya hissed, "How would anyone know what runs through your crazed mind? You are a traitor…a criminal…a murderer."

"Is it murder to throw down an oppressor, to seek justice beyond what that unjust system offers, to fight for equal treatment under the law?"

"There are better ways to effect change than by deceiving and murdering people."

"Societal change is not often brought about peacefully, but let us leave that argument for another time. I asked you why you think I brought you here. I want you to answer me."

Byakuya stared at him in silence.

"Tell me what you feel," Aizen whispered, reaching out and touching his face.

Byakuya froze.

"What do you feel when I touch you?"

The gray eyes blinked defensively and his hands moved to push the other's away. Aizen grabbed his hands, pushed him back against the glass wall and engaged his mouth in a forceful kiss. Byakuya tore away from him, nearly falling as he backed away, eyes flaring.

"Is that why you brought me here, to fulfill some sick fantasy of yours? Then why bother with my mind at all? Can't you simply overpower it? Break it? Force me to bend to your will and do whatever you want me to? Is that what you are going to do?"

Aizen sighed, unhappy with the direction their conversation was taking.

"I admit I could have done that…if that was my intent. The fact that I have not done so, that I have brought you here to this room and have made you comfortable…and have tried to make you understand. That should tell you something. Perhaps you need time to consider things more. I will leave you to your thoughts, for now…but I will be back."

To Byakuya, it looked as though Aizen simply disappeared, though he suspected that it was an illusion to cover his means of leaving the room so that Byakuya could not attempt escape.

He raised a hand to his lips, still feeling the burn of those other lips on his. It had a familiar feel to it…something barely remembered, something that resonated in a place dangerously close to his heart. His hand dropped away from his lips and he turned and placed it instead on the glass. Looking over the warming sand, he thought of how he would have awakened as always, slipped into a comfortable yukata and joined Rukia in the garden for breakfast and tea. He would have returned to his room to dress in his shihakushou, gloves, scarf, haori and kenseiken. After leaving the house, he would have walked down the morning shaded streets and slipped into the office, sitting down and settling down to work just before the door opened and Renji burst in. He would have hidden his smile at the sound of Renji's greeting and returned it in a calm, tranquil voice.

But he didn't feel calm and tranquil. There was nothing orderly about his world now. He felt his breath shorten and hot tears burned in his eyes. They weren't brought on by despair, but an intense, sweeping anger. With his power sealed away, he couldn't release the emotion through his spirit centers, couldn't feel the hard rise of power, the rumble of the earth around him. Everything was locked away inside, just as he was locked away. It didn't matter that he wouldn't be tortured or that he was made comfortable or that, despite not being allowed to leave, he was being treated as a guest. All he knew was that he was alone and locked away and it quickly swept his controls aside and brought those tears of anger.

He released it in the only way left to him then, taking hold of anything not fastened down and throwing it hard against the thick glass, screaming his defiance. And when nothing he could lift remained unbroken, he took the shattered pieces and threw them against the glass again until there was nothing left to break, until everything movable was broken into pieces smaller than his shattered heart.

A tear rolled onto his cheek and he lifted a hand to brush it away. It was then that he saw the blood on his hands. He hadn't even noticed, he had been so enraged. He stared in fascination, stunned by the sight of that redness and the coppery scent that touched his senses. He allowed himself a single sob of frustration, then stood and walked calmly into the washroom. He cleaned and bound his wounds, then slowly walked the edges of his prison, looking down and learning the patterns of the sand that swirled on the breezes, of the clouds that moved slowly across the sky…anything and everything that would help him cope until he could free himself.

He waited for Aizen Sousuke to return, but no one came to him. Just as hunger began to reach him, a tray of food appeared on the table near his bed. The scent of it was enticing and he knew that if he tasted it, the taste would be perfect. But he couldn't make himself cross the room, couldn't force himself to try it. It felt too much like giving in, and he had far too much pride for that. He left it where it was, moving away to watch the light fade away and the stars come out.

The way they appeared over the dome and lit everything beneath them was enchanting, but he missed the feel of the dirt path under his feet, the smell of water, crushed grass and flowers. The air was dry and fresh, but had nothing to give it life. It had to be cooled and circulated, forced to move. There was nothing natural about it.

He stared up at the moon, trying to draw its light into his body, but he felt dark inside, as though even that light could not reach him. He rested on his back on the bed, watching the stars move across the sky, whispering the stories he remembered about the constellations, remembering them only to keep his mind occupied and removed from the obvious. The silence deepened around him and became overbearing. He could only hear the soft swish of air through the vents, his breathing and the soft beating of his heart. And what his heart told them with each soft, aching pulse, was that he was lost, alone and unlikely to see his home again…not for a long time…maybe not ever. He swallowed hard and let the soft sound carry him off to sleep.

Some time later, he realized four things in quick succession. First, he realized that he was frozen in place, unable to move. Second, the damage to the room had somehow been undone. Third, the painful wounds on his hands had been carefully healed…And finally, he was no longer alone. Aizen Sousuke laid next to him on the bed, the warmth of his body both comforting and disturbing at once.

"I am sorry I have to restrain you," Aizen Sousuke said quietly, "It is necessary for now, because I know you are furious with me for bringing you here like this. I understand that anger, but know that this was necessary. Things were good as they were, but we were living a lie, a fantasy. I brought you here to help you see the truth, so that our meetings won't be so infrequent…and I won't be the only one who remembers."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Byakuya said solemnly, "You act as though I've been here before."

"You have," Aizen whispered back, "Every time the moon is full, you leave the Seireitei and you come to me. We come to this room and make love under the stars…and when we are sated, I ask you if you will stay and you tell me that you can't, that you must return before morning or the spell that brings you here will be broken."

He wanted to laugh…to immediately reject it as nonsense, but he remembered the light bruises, the red marking on his throat. And it always happened on the nights when the moon was full. But it couldn't be…It couldn't…

"You won't remember, but after I left the Seireitei for Las Noches, I came to you. I froze you in place as you are frozen now and I apologized for having misunderstood you, for being angry at your rejection of me. I did take advantage of you. It was right that you were angry."

"You offered comfort and I accepted. I wasn't forced into anything…and I wasn't coerced. I wanted to be with you, because I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to be held, to be touched, to be loved. And your eyes were full of compassion…your hands were gentle. Your words were soothing. If I was angry at anyone for what happened, I was angry with myself. But I took my anger out on you and you thought it meant that I blamed you. That's why when you betrayed the Gotei 13, you used her. You used her to hurt me, because I hurt you. I remember…but what has any of that to do with this?"

"Because I made you a promise that night. That was the night that I told you that for every moment of darkness I caused you, I would repay you with a moment of starlight. I said that for every tear of sadness, shed or not, I would bring you tears of joy. And for every bit of pain, I would repay you with ecstasy. That was the night I cast the moonspell."

"You cast a spell," Byakuya said, his voice low and angry, "to force me to come to you? To force me into bed with you? And you called it compensation?"

"No," Aizen said, turning to gaze down into the dark, angry eyes, "all the moonspell did was to cause you to hear your own heart…what it said to you, what it wanted and what would heal it. When you came to me the first time, we did not make love. We laid next to each other all of that first night, staring up at the stars and sharing what we knew about them. The next time you came to me, we shared stories of our pasts. It is how you came to understand the reasons I threw off the yoke of the Gotei 13, threw down and killed the oppressors who dealt injustice and came here to plan to end their chokehold on our worlds. Although you could not condone my actions, you understood my reasons…and because the moonspell was meant to right a personal wrong, you chose to continue to come. Eventually, your heart led you to make love with me. I never asked you to do that. I let you lead every time. I did nothing to coerce you and nothing to stop you from following your heart. I meant to do right by you by giving you what your heart desired…and what you most desired was companionship and love."

"Then why," asked Byakuya icily, "do I feel nothing for you now? Why do I despise you and want to kill you?"

Aizen threaded his fingers through Byakuya's hair and kissed his forehead.

"You cannot," he replied softly, "hear the call of your own heart. It is there, but you will not listen. You have been taught to ignore it…to separate yourself from it. Only the moonspell released you from that. I don't know how to help you to hear it."

"Then," Byakuya said quietly, "does that mean that I will remain your prisoner until I can hear it? And how will I know when I do?"

"I propose this," Aizen said, stroking his hair, "You think of three people who you think should somehow be able to help you hear your heart. Tell me one name each night for the next three nights and I will use my zanpakutou to bring their images to you. You may imagine any setting and interact with each however you wish. And we shall see if this will loose your heart so that you can hear it."

"And if it does not?" Byakuya asked quietly.

"Then I will take you home."

"And how do I know that your images will not lead me in false directions?" Byakuya asked skeptically.

Aizen sighed.

"My zanpakutou will cause you to perceive each person as he or she truly is or was. It is meant to be indistinguishable from the actual person. And I will give you the ability to give the command to my zanpakutou, so that you know exactly who will be represented. Will you agree to this?"

"If I do this and I am convinced that this is where my heart is, must I leave everything else behind?"

Aizen shook his head.

"I seek only to be with you more often…by night is fine, just more often…and I want you to remember it."

"Will you release the restraints now?"

"Will you give your word that you will not attack me?"

Byakuya gazed up into the dark brown eyes.

"I will not attack you. You have my word."

The restraints released and Byakuya sat up, stretching and standing. He walked to the glass wall and gazed out over the long expanse of sand to where the lights from the shinigami base shined. He wondered who he should choose.

"I will need some time to consider who I shall call to me," he said softly.

Aizen nodded.

"Then I shall leave you to your thoughts. Are you hungry? Shall I have food brought to you?"

"Just some tea, if you will," he answered, still looking in the direction of the base, "It helps me to fall asleep. I don't sleep well in unfamiliar places."

"Then tonight you shall not. If you wish, I will make this place appear to you as your own home…just to aid you in sleeping. Do you wish for me to do this?"

"No, Sousuke. I prefer to make my peace with the way things are."

"Very well. If you need anything during the night, you need only say my name and I will come to you."

Byakuya felt a touch on his shoulder and turned to look into the deep brown eyes. A warm palm rose to cup his cheek and Aizen yielded him a sad smile.

"I am sorry for this," he said softly, "Perhaps I should have left things as they were."

"No," Byakuya replied, not breaking eye contact, "It is better that I know the truth."

He did not resist the lips that moved to gently claim his.

"And you shall. Good night, Byakuya."

He waited until the other was gone from the room.

"Good night, Sousuke," he whispered.


	5. The Contemplation

**Chapter 5: The Contemplation**

**(Hello all. Just have a short time before returning to be at my friend's side at the hospital. She is on life support and will be leaving us soon. But I needed to eat and sleep after being up all night. Apologies for any errors, and please know that I am deeply grateful for all of the reviews! I will thank in more detail when I can. Love to all and keep Darline and me in your prayers. Thank you.)**

_Who can help me to hear the call of my heart?_

He had to choose three people…three souls to visit him, to give him insight. It could be any three he chose. He considered the question carefully, poring over the events of his life and looking for the faces that stood out for him. There weren't many…because his heart was something unknown to all but a given few. And even those few had only been given portions. He had held his heart apart, secreted in the core of his being for as long as he could remember. It was the price he paid for being who he was…for being one of the noble class, for being the leader of the house Kuchiki.

He walked slowly to one of the sitting areas and crawled onto the large, padded bench seat. He curled his legs beneath him and pressed his face to the glass. His mind slowly sank into the waves of sand that rose into the harsh breezes, spinning there for several long moments before falling back to join their brethren. He would, he realized, have wished for a life like the one those grains of sand shared. They might lie for days and nights without moving, but there was sunshine to warm them by day and night gave them views of the lovely stars and moon. They might be aching for the touch of water, but they had no tears to drench their cheeks. They had no need to fight for control. And if there was one central feature to Kuchiki Byakuya's life, it was that it was so much centered on control. And it vacillated back and forth between controlling and being controlled. There was rarely a moment in between.

But now he was spiraling out of control entirely.

He had no control over his circumstances, over the rise and fall of days he might spend here or actions his enemy might take. He had no control over the food and drink that continued to appear and disappear at regular intervals. And while he controlled the choice to leave it untouched, he could not control the fact that his body ached with hunger, not just for food, but for something to take the weight from his heart, the feeling of being enclosed and shut off from everything, of being slowly suffocated. He should have been able to shoulder it quietly, should have been able to stave off the anger and the feeling of despair, but something inside him broke and tears began to slide unbidden down his face.

_Kami, what's wrong with me!_

He tried to descend into the coldness that usually protected him, that strength so carefully set in place as he grew, guided by Ginrei's careful direction. He was not to feel too deeply, not to display anything to those around him, not even in his weakest moments and most of all, he was never to allow his body to surrender to his heart…never, ever to surrender to tears. When they threatened, he only had to shelter himself in cold detachment…in the simple fact that who he was determined that he would not give in. Though so often growing up, his heart had tested him. And each time, Ginrei had pushed him to carefully lock it away…to quiet the screaming inside, to distance himself from the pain. And there had, he remembered, been plenty of that…

The losses for Byakuya had begun early…with the loss of his mother during his birth…his father, before he was old enough to ask the deeper questions that plagued his adult mind. So he hesitated to request their guidance. He simply didn't know what they had been like really, or what advice they would have given him…or even, how he would respond to them, given the years that had passed. Ginrei was the closest thing to a parent he'd had…and his grandfather, while certainly being able to express his pride in Byakuya, had never really expressed affection…not in an overt way. He had always advised Byakuya that he must be strong of heart and not give in to his emotions.

But he felt his emotions giving way now. Perhaps, then, he needed that kind of guidance…to regain control…to center himself…to be able to give the matter proper consideration. Yes, balance was important…and he was much too out of control. He brushed the tears from his eyes and focused deeply on the disturbed sands outside the window.

"Byakuya," Aizen's voice said softly from somewhere behind him, "I do not wish to disturb your thoughts, however, you have been lost in thought for too long, and I am concerned that you tax yourself too much without seeing to your needs. I've come to ask if you will join me in the dining room for dinner."

Byakuya looked up at him questioningly.

"Gin and Tousen are otherwise occupied and I do not take meals with the denizens of this area. It would be the two of us alone."

He knew that he should refuse. Obviously, there were ulterior motives…hidden reasons for this offer. And while he certainly didn't see the harm in the request, he knew better than to put himself in a position to betray what he was thinking.

"I will not speak of anything you do not wish to discuss with me. I only wish to offer you nourishment and the comfort of another physical presence so that you are not too much alone. I only ask that you remain with me while we are outside this room, as the hollows see you as an enemy and are likely to attack you if I am not there."

Byakuya studied the calm set of Aizen's face and the genuine concern in his expression. It occurred to him, of course, that it was well within the other's powers to simply hypnotize him to eat. Yes, Aizen could certainly overcome his will to resist if he so wished. And he had promised not to draw him out or make him give away his thoughts on the issue of their coupling. He realized too that it would do him no good to sit endlessly with his mind turning in circles…forgetting all else in a singular obsession with finding an answer. He needed to step back and breathe…to get out of the enclosure of this room and think on other things for a while.

He looked up into the curious brown eyes and nodded briefly. Aizen betrayed nothing, but simply extended a hand in Byakuya's direction. Byakuya blinked, gazing guardedly at the offered hand.

"You are not able to see through the illusion that conceals the exit. I only wish to guide you to the door."

"I see," Byakuya replied softly, accepting the proffered hand.

Aizen's touch on his hand was light and warm. And with the touch of that hand, the noble found himself transported back in time to another time the same hand had been offered to him. Byakuya caught his breath sharply and hesitated.

"_I'm glad you have come to me again…Byakuya."_

_The noble stood frozen, just inside the door, smoldering gray eyes fastened on brown, his heart quickening, fluttering, leaving his body feeling weakened. _

"_Sousuke," he breathed, his voice trembling._

The other was on his feet in an instant, flash stepping to meet him. He stood for a moment, watching the moonlight play over pale, perfect skin, then reached for his hand. With the joining of their hands, a part of the wall ahead of them dissolved and a stairway rose to lead them upward. Darkness followed by a creature of light, they ascended the stairs together. They reached the top and blinked at the return of the moonlight as they entered the glass-domed room at the very top of Las Noches. They paused in the doorway, hands touching, holding each other as they took in the stars and moon.

"Could it be?" Byakuya whispered.

"What was that, Byakuya?" Aizen asked, an eyebrow lifting.

Byakuya met his eyes warily for a moment, then he shook his head.

"It was nothing," he said quietly, stepping forward to follow Aizen out of the room.

They descended the stairs slowly, Aizen's eyes straying back now and again to study the noble's weighted expression. He longed to take that lovely face in his hands, as he had so many times before, to kiss away the concerns and see it overcome with affection, passion…perhaps even love. But the price of wanting Byakuya to share full cognizance of their union, to accept in full awareness that while they resided on opposite sides by day, that their love was something wholly separate and personal…was that they must endure together the turmoil as the emotionally restrained noble came to grips with the truth of what was in his deeply submerged heart.

And there were no guarantees, of course. By abducting Byakuya as he had, he had taken the chance that the noble might still not hear his heart…meaning Aizen Sousuke would lose him altogether. But in truth, he hadn't truly felt deserving of Byakuya's affections. He had felt, rather than having truly offered his love as compensation for the pain he had caused the other, it might be as Byakuya himself had stated…a selfish desire on his part to bring the noble to his bed.

Yes…it was quite a selfish thing on his part…and if that was what Byakuya chose to see, then his desire to gain Byakuya's awakened heart would likely fail. He wondered how it would feel to lose the noble completely…and then shuddered at the thought. No…he had to believe that with time, Byakuya would hear his heart. And when he did, he would know that they belonged together, on opposite sides of the war or not.

"This way," he said softly, turning out of his room and leading Byakuya down the long hallway, down the main stairway and off into the common areas.

They passed the banquet rooms and came to one that was smaller and more intimately decorated. Byakuya paused at the doorway for a moment, taking in the darker environs, the warm colors, candles and the pleasant smells that drifted out of the kitchen.

"I wasn't certain what you liked, or even if you would agree to join me. I hope this meets with your approval."

Byakuya followed him to the table, watching as Aizen sat down at the end of the table and motioned for Byakuya to take the seat nearest him. He stepped forward and sat down, still watching with somewhat wary eyes as the servants appeared out of the kitchen and laid the meal out before them.

He meant to only eat enough to end the complaints of his body, but as the two sat together and began to talk, suddenly Byakuya lost track of what he was doing and he began to realize that the food, atmosphere and conversation were all quite enjoyable.

"I brought the servants out of my household in the Seireitei," Aizen explained, "so that even while we must endure the rigors of this place, something of home might remain with us. You will likely remember a few of them from the occasions when your grandfather attended gatherings there."

"Yes," acknowledged Byakuya, "several of them do look familiar."

"They are all very good about remembering what people enjoy. Tell me, did they remember your own likings?"

Byakuya nodded, his eyes betraying some surprise.

"Yes, though it has been so long, I don't know how they would remember."

"I am glad you are pleased. Byakuya, after eating dinner, I like to walk in the gardens here. I know that you appreciate the beauty of a moonlight walk. Would you like to join me?"

Byakuya looked up at him uncertainly.

"I will understand if you choose not to, but I do hope you will consider it."

"I am frankly surprised that you could get flowers to grow here, Sousuke," Byakuya said, with something dangerously close to a thin smile.

Aizen chuckled softly.

"It wasn't easy," he admitted, "I tried for several long months without result, but managed to succeed in the end…with the help of Kyoka Suigetsu to convince them that they wanted to grow! This place does leave much to be desired, but I do not plan to remain here forever."

"No…your plans cover a much greater reach, Aizen Sousuke."

Aizen nodded.

"And I know that you are not pleased by either the steps I have taken or the ones that I have yet to take…but we have had out our differences before, Byakuya. You won't remember, but it was you who said that our personal association, though seemingly odd, need not interfere with our taking of sides. We agreed to love by night and remain on our sides by day. We also agreed that if we faced each other in battle, we would fight to the death without regret."

"Hmmm," said Byakuya, taking a bite of food, "Quite a reckless decision on both our parts."

"Yes…well, we shall see how things play out. But let us not linger on that. After we walk in the gardens, you will likely want to bathe. There is a bathing room I will show you to, if you wish it."

"A walk to aid digestion and a hot bath. Sousuke, for a prisoner, I begin to feel spoiled."

He thought for a moment.

"I think I am amenable to a walk in the gardens, but I would like to bathe in privacy."

"Of course, Byakuya," Aizen said, smiling, "I did say that I would not attempt to sway your thinking either way, nor your choices about who to speak to. I only wish to see that you are made comfortable as you consider things. I never wished to treat you as a prisoner. It was only necessary to protect us both from your shock at waking here."

"I understand…not that I agree with your methods, Aizen Sousuke."

"Well," the leader of the hollows said, chuckling, "I could hardly send it by hell butterfly. No, that wouldn't have gone over well at all!"

Byakuya stopped himself just short of releasing a soft laugh.

"No," he said matter of factly, "It wouldn't have gone over well at all. I think Renji would have had Zabimaru out and in your face before the message was complete. And Rukia's head would, of course be spinning."

"And let us not even consider what our dear Soutaichou's thoughts would be!" laughed Aizen, "I don't know who he would fry faster, you or me!"

Byakuya gazed at Aizen's face intently, reading the emotion and feeling a soft shiver of something between pleasant surprise and fear. His eyes were so happy and gentle…nothing like the way they had looked at him the day of their departure for Hueco Mundo…but then, he was remembering the time before Gin fired his weapon at Rukia. He had seen the look on Aizen's face as the weapon sank into his body and the blood exploded around him. He had seen the sudden regret, the pain…but he had also blocked it out. He hadn't wanted to see it. He hadn't wanted to know. Because he had known back then why Aizen included Rukia in his plans…and even though he hated Aizen's ruthlessness, he understood the emotion that had led to the decision.

Byakuya knew that his behavior after their coupling was the result of the way Byakuya had rejected him. It wasn't right for Aizen to have retaliated in that way, but Byakuya had hurt the man…apparently more deeply than he realized at the time. He tried to think back to his decision to leave Aizen's bed, to flash step away from the still-dark house…to return to his life and to forget his reckless decision to seek comfort from the pain of losing Hisana.

They were both to blame for what happened. And they had both paid a price for their night together. And now it seemed that after that, Aizen Sousuke regretted his strong reaction to Byakuya's rejection. Byakuya, too, had to admit that he felt regretful, not so much that his emotions led him to run from Aizen's arms, but because afterward, his pride and his embarrassment at his own behavior had led him to act in ways that pushed the man from hurt and disappointment and into true anger.

That brought a deeply disturbing question to mind. He looked up at the gentle eyes that looked quietly back into his.

"Is something wrong, Byakuya?" Aizen asked softly.

Byakuya's eyes widened in sudden distress.

"Sousuke," he whispered, setting his fork down onto his plate, "Tell me something honestly. Is this my fault? Sousuke, is it my fault that you betrayed the Gotei 13? That you killed the councilors of Central 46? That you made your plans to kill the king and assume the throne? Tell me truthfully, if I had remained with you…hadn't run from you and treated you as I did, would you still have done those things…or would your love for me have stopped you from going so far?"

His heart raced madly as he waited for the other to answer. Could it be? Could it be that Aizen's betrayal might be his fault?


	6. Walking in Darkness

**Chapter 6: The Spirit Song**

**(I want to thank those of you who have PMed to show your support during this difficult time. In a few short hours, I will be going to see my friend for the last time while she lives, and she will then be taken off of life support. While this is a very sad day, I am happy that her suffering will end, and that she will find comfort and renewed joy with God. However we may be different in our religious persuasions, death and how we approach it, still binds us together. Peace to all. Love, Starfire.)**

"Tell me something honestly. Is this my fault? Sousuke, is it my fault that you betrayed the Gotei 13? That you killed the councilors of Central 46? That you made your plans to kill the king and assume the throne? Tell me truthfully, if I had remained with you…hadn't run from you and treated you as I did, would you still have done those things…or would your love for me have stopped you from going so far?"

Aizen stared back at him, his expressive features registering surprise, concern and affection all by turns. Byakuya felt a rush of confusion at the response and held his breath, waiting for an answer. The idea that he could be responsible for pushing the man to such extremes…

"Oh," said Aizen, recovering himself, "Kami, Byakuya, no…You have to understand. My plans were set in place and already in motion well before you were old enough to have affected them in any way. Think…you know that the vizards came into existence because of my experimentation. I undertook those experiments as part of my plans and it happened while you were a mere child. You cannot place blame for my actions on yourself. You must remember, the rigors of our society affected me from the days of my own childhood. Like your Hisana and your trusted fukutaichou, I came from the streets of the Rukongai. I developed great power at a young age, but I also knew great cruelty and deep wrong in the face of our society."

"You were looked down on because you were a peasant…and you saw the way our society raises the nobles above others, favors them. And even though your own powers were formidable, they weren't enough to change where you were born…and what you had to endure because of it. I do see this…"

He paused, meeting Aizen's eyes cautiously.

"But even if your plans were in motion…I have to ask you…When we were together that night, did you look forward waking next to me? Did you think we had a future? Did you stop to think at any point in our lovemaking that I was noble…and therefore favored…and because of that, I was one the reasons you were held down? Did it matter to you then or did it only become real to you when I ran from you and tried to reject what we had done? Aizen Sousuke, what was I to you? Was I just someone you tried to comfort? A snap decision? A conquest? A means of revenge for the wrongs done to you? What?"

He held back the tears that ached to surface and forced his eyes to the other's, waiting and watching his face carefully.

"Byakuya," he said, leaning forward and placing a warm hand on the noble's porcelain cheek, "you were many things to me that night. You were a surprise that appeared like white mist out of the darkness. You were a person who had just suffered a great loss, one I expected would hide it from everyone…and you did try. But you were not like them…not like the cold, distant nobles as I knew them. You loved a peasant woman, for kami's sake! You fought to be with her, though I know something of the price you paid for that. They held back naming you clan leader…until after her death…and they timed it so that it was clearly a punishment. You shouldered it all in front of them without batting an eye, but kami knows, you had to put your grief somewhere. I offered you a place to put that grief, to find the comfort they wouldn't give you, to offer some kind of peace. I didn't think deeply about why…but I knew then that I desired you."

He ran his fingers lightly down the soft curve of the noble's face.

"I know that the fact of my finding you beautiful…of desiring you…muddies the waters of my thinking and makes it look as though it might have been a manipulation, but truly, there was no game in my heart that night. I just had never seen anyone who looked so extremely beautiful, whose torment I wanted more to end…and though your nobility crossed my mind, I only thought to acknowledge it as a reason you were in so much pain. Byakuya…I was, in another way selfish. When I experienced you suffering for your love for Hisana, it touched the part of me that suffered under the attitudes of our society. It was selfish, in a way, yes, but I saw that, in that moment, you weren't one of 'them.' You ran from them…and it wasn't the son of the Kuchiki clan that did the running, it was just a young, beautiful man who had been hurt by them…much as I had…maybe more than I had."

Byakuya took a slow, trembling breath.

"And what did you feel when you took me to your bed…held me…comforted me…loved me?" he whispered.

Aizen's eyes fell to their half-empty plates and he blinked and remained silent for several long minutes before raising his eyes to meet Byakuya's.

"I felt…like I was holding the pieces of my own shattered heart…"

He paused, struggling for words.

"And while I held you, your arms wrapped around me and found the part of me that had been wronged. As I kissed you and you kissed back, as our hands explored each other, it was like we healed something of the pain we both felt. Maybe the reasons for our pain were different, but the mechanism was the same. And when I took you to my bed, it was like rain that washes away the smoldering remains of a fire. I thought for one golden moment that maybe…perhaps, I could move on past the pain. Maybe I could bury myself deeply enough in you and forget."

Byakuya's eyes grew wide and devastated.

"Then…it could have made a difference…" he whispered in horror, "if I hadn't run away…if I hadn't let my pride take over. You've as much as admitted that you thought to give up on your plans, Sousuke…"

The leader of the hollows took Byakuya's face in both hands.

"Hear me now…Byakuya, it wouldn't have lasted. Even that night, I was still operating under the dictates of my own broken heart. I wasn't yet in love with you and you were still mourning the loss of your wife. We simply weren't ready for more. You wouldn't have done more than slow things for a time…but the weight on my heart would have been too heavy for you to bear away. We comforted each other at a time when we both needed the comfort. That was a good thing…but don't mislead yourself into thinking that it would have stopped me. It wouldn't have. It might have made me pretend I could. And for awhile, we would have lived happily believing you had redeemed me. But sooner or later, the weight of the old pain would have returned. And I would likely have tried to hide it from you and as our love self destructed, you would have cursed yourself and me for not being stronger. But it would really have been that we lied to ourselves."

He released the noble, sending a tremor through Byakuya's heart.

"The path we are taking now is painful too…and it is slower. But the one certain thing is that it is honest, it is pure…and Byakuya, I am in love with you now. It's a love that acknowledges that we can only be who we are, but that beneath the noble warrior and the peasant traitor who strain against each other by day are two lovers who can only love openly at night.

"Just remember, Aizen Sousuke, great loves on warring sides often end in tragedy. Romeo and Juliet, for all that they were in love, fell victim to the hatred around them. What makes you think that we would go undiscovered? At any time during my visits, my squad could be called into action, I could be observed coming or going. The wrong person could learn of it and we could be undone very swiftly."

Aizen's eyes met his warmly.

"Is that what holds you back, Kuchiki Byakuya? Are you afraid of one of us or both being disgraced? Being killed? Is that all that holds you back? Or do you truly not love me in return?"

He sighed softly.

"But those are unfair questions…and I do not mean to press. And if you have had enough to eat, I am very much in need of a moonlight walk."

Byakuya nodded.

"I am ready whenever you are," he said quietly.

Aizen rose and Byakuya followed him, out of the dining room, off to the north and up several stairways, down a short hallway and up again. He opened a door and as he passed through it, Byakuya felt as though he had been transported into another world…a world as different from Hueco Mundo as night and day…a place of beauty and peace…a place for solemn reflection. It was as beautiful as his own gardens at Kuchiki Manor and it almost made him forget where he was.

"Sousuke!" he breathed, stepping forward.

He stopped and ran his eyes around the room, taking in the types of plants and flowers, the careful placement, the artistry in the room. An odd expression came over his face.

"Sousuke," he said quietly, "I know you said that you made the plants grow, but…some of these cuttings…look like they came from my own gardens. And the sakura tree…I would know one of my own anywhere. Sousuke…who designed this garden?"

The leader of the hollows bowed his head slightly.

"You did, Byakuya. I brought you to this room and you studied the placing of light, the lay of the landscape…and you made up the design. Then on subsequent visits, you brought cuttings and seedlings, so it grew over time. Perhaps it is better to say that we made this garden together…that you planned it and brought the plant and flowers here. I made them grow."

Byakuya reached out and touched the trunk of the sakura tree with a tentative palm. As he did, he heard an odd ringing in his head and an image flashed in his mind.

"No more sake, Aizen Sousuke. I have to work tomorrow. I'll oversleep."

"_Very well then, we'll put the bottle away and I'll spend the rest of the evening tasting the remains of it on your lips."_

Byakuya's lips burned and he touched them with his fingers. He felt suddenly weak and had gone even more pale than usual.

"Byakuya, are you all right?" Aizen asked, looking concerned.

"Sousuke, I think…I need to return to my room. I…"

"You needn't explain," Aizen said bracingly, "Come, I shall return you to your room…but are you certain you don't need a healer? You don't look well at all…"

"I will be fine," Byakuya said softly, "I merely need to think. I still have much to consider."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to push you. I merely thought that you would enjoy being in a familiar place. I didn't think it would make you uncomfortable."

"I know," Byakuya said, looking across the room again, "I just…wasn't expecting…"

He stopped and closed his eyes, his face going even more pale.

"Byakuya?" Aizen said, resting a hand on the noble's arm.

He barely managed to catch the noble as his legs gave way and he dropped to the floor.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself back in the glass domed room. An old shinigami who appeared to be a healer sat quietly at his bedside and Aizen Sousuke was nowhere to be seen. The healer nodded at him politely.

"Kuchiki-san, Aizen-sama has asked me to apprise you of your health issues."

"I see…and those are?" Byakuya asked.

"I understand that you do not currently view yourself as a guest. Your discomfort, the stress of your situation, or perhaps some task Aizen-sama has set before you is causing you great amounts of stress. In addition, you have not been seeing to your needs for sleep and food. I have recommended that to ease your stress that he make you as comfortable as possible, which he seems to have done…and that he offer you adequate meals, which he has also seen to. I have also recommended that if you are not able to obtain adequate sleep, that he should induce it."

"I understand. And I admit this situation has been stressful…but…your eyes say there is more."

"There is," said the healer, nodding, "I have not said anything to Aizen-sama about this as it is a noble clan matter and a very private one…but I am aware of the condition among noble males called Seirei no kakyoku…the spirit song."

Byakuya gave him a puzzled look.

"How do you know of this?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"As a member of Aizen-sama's house staff in the Seireitei, I treated more than a few nobles. One of them was suffering from this condition and explained it to me. He said that among the purest of the nobles, some have the ability to sense when their soul mate approaches. Seirei no kakyoku is the song of two connected souls heard only by the two. It is the force that drives them together and keeps them near each other…whatever they decide to be, whether they are lovers or friends. It is when one cannot hear the song that sometimes he or she will suffer malaise, depression, poor eating habits and the like."

"And you think I have this condition?" Byakuya asked, "Why?"

The old healer smiled.

You know that human saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul?"

"I have heard this."

"The eyes of that one I knew before held the same look yours do now. The spirit song calls you, but you do not hear it. And because of this, you suffer."

"But I was fine before I…" Byakuya began.

"It is stronger when one is close to his soul mate. And in fact, when close to one another can become overwhelming."

"How can it overwhelm one who does not hear it?" Byakuya asked.

The healer smiled sadly.

"Just because one does not hear it does not mean that it does not affect him…or her…" the healer explained, "That is what makes the condition somewhat dangerous if not addressed."

Byakuya's eyes fell and became clouded.

"So what is done to cure this condition?"

"You must become able to hear the spirit song. The one I treated before told me that while doing so is a pathway to love…not doing so can lead to madness."

Byakuya caught his breath sharply and his eyes became intense.

"It seems the task that Aizen Sousuke put me to is no longer whimsical on his part, but now seems necessary. Just tell me one thing. If one places great distance between himself and that other, can the song be quelled?"

The doctor shook his head.

"Only quieted. One could, of course, go for many years without acknowledging his soul mate…if they were kept far apart. And that only works for the one who does not hear the song. For the one who does hear, it does not matter where the soul mate is…the feeling is the same."

"I see," Byakuya said softly,

"Kuchiki-san, you will improve if you take better care of yourself, but you must address your spirit song. I would fear for your health if you continue as you are."

"Arigato…I shall attempt to have better eating and sleeping habits if you think that will help."

"As much as it helps, it would help more to be able to listen to your heart and feed it properly…Kuchiki-san."

He observed the noble silently for a moment.

"I will inform Aizen-sama that you simply need more rest and to eat properly and avoid undue stress."

Byakuya met his eyes gratefully.

"Again, arigato."

The healer nodded and disappeared.

Byakuya rose and walked around the edges of his room, his mind as scattered as the sands outside. Perhaps, he thought, it was order and common sense that he needed. And if that was what he needed to clear his thoughts and to be able to hear his heart, then there was only one person he could think of to assist him.

"Aizen Sousuke," he said quietly, staring out at the sand.

He felt the other's presence behind him, even before the man spoke.

"Have you decided then, Byakuya?" Aizen asked, stepping forward and meeting the noble's stormy gray eyes.

"I have," he said softly.

"Then come with me," Aizen said, motioning for Byakuya to join him, "Lie down."

Byakuya settled onto the bed and leaned back to rest against the pillows. Aizen brushed his eyes closed and drew his zanpakutou.

"I have released my weapon to provide the person of your choice. Who would you like to speak with first?"

"I wish to speak first with…Kuchiki Ginrei…"


	7. Love and Honor

**Chapter 7: Love and Honor**

Aizen gazed at Byakuya intently, deeply curious as to his choice, but the noble's eyes evinced a certainty that meant that he had given the matter a great deal of thought and really believed this to be the best choice. He sighed softly, not expecting that the aged noble would have a great deal of knowledge how one would hear the call of his heart. Yet, he had given over control of this task to Byakuya, and given the fact that the noble seemed to be taking things very seriously, he chose to believe that Byakuya knew what he was doing. Byakuya gazed at him questioningly, waiting for a response. He nodded briefly.

"Very well, Byakuya," he said, drawing his weapon and holding it point down in front of the noble, "Place your hand on mine and give the release command. Kyouka Suigetsu will read the content of your intention and will respond to you."

Byakuya took a quick breath and curled his hand lightly around Aizen's, staring.

"Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu," the noble said softly.

The room around him faded and Byakuya found himself standing in the spirit dimension. All around, lush gardens grew, and trails crisscrossed in every direction. He sensed Ginrei ahead of him and walked slowly forward, feeling strange being in such an open place after being confined in Las Noches.

He found his grandfather kneeling beneath a sakura tree and looking out over a large cliff. Over them, the sun shined brightly and puffy clouds crawled lazily across the sky. Byakuya dropped to his knees in front of Ginrei, who looked up as though surprised to see him there.

"Greetings, Grandfather," Byakuya said softly, bowing his head, "It has been a long time."

"It has," the other said uncertainly, "I had thought that we would not meet until you joined me in the spirit dimension to take your place among the Royal Guardsmen. But I sense it is something else that has brought you to me. Byakuya…why are you here?"

The noble bowed his head slightly and closed his eyes.

"I am in need of your wisdom. Something…has happened…and I am at a loss for what to do."

Ginrei nodded.

"You know that I am always here to help you find your way. I still remember the last request my Soujun made of me as he lay dying. _Take care of my son…my Byakuya. See that he reaches his full potential. And as he rises to the greatness that we have foreseen, help him to know that his mother and I love him and will be with him, watching from afar, every step of the way._"

"You told me this, Grandfather…and I have never forgotten. I know I am not alone. But I have a deeper question. Grandfather…it is about my heart."

The old noble gazed at him questioningly.

"Grandfather, it seems that my heart has been trying to speak to me, but I cannot hear what it says to me. I was examined by a healer who told me that it is the Seirei no Kakyoku, the spirit song…and that if I do not address it, it is likely to bring me to madness."

"Then you must discover why you cannot hear it. You must remove the impediments to bring the song to life inside you. But that you have this difficulty suggests that you are conflicted about what you sense that your heart is trying to tell you."

Byakuya lowered his eyes.

"I _am_ conflicted. Grandfather, the person whose soul resonates with mine…is an enemy. To even consider being with him is a crime. I don't understand why this is happening to me! I agreed to follow the rules of the Kuchiki clan. I swore a vow of obedience. I devoted myself to my work as a taichou of the Gotei 13. So why? Why does my heart try to turn me in the direction of my enemy? Why does it lead me to abandon my promises and to embrace this enemy? Am I being punished? Is this because of my transgressions?"

Ginrei sighed softly, and reached out a hand to touch his grandson's anguished face.

"Seirei no kakyoku is not a punishment, Byakuya, but a great, divine power. It binds two souls together and makes them function as one. When it appears between two enemies, it is often interpreted as a stabilizing force, something of a gift, but one that functions in the way of softening the enmity. In this way, it serves our king by weakening his enemy's resolve."

Byakuya inhaled sharply.

"You mean that it isn't real? It's only there to manipulate an enemy into surrender? Grandfather…that's…that's horrible! If that is true, then the emotions beneath it are a lie! It is a kind of attack…not real love at all!"

Ginrei shook his head.

"That is not it, my grandson," he said quietly, "It is not a lie or a trap. Think of it this way. By giving us the spirit song, our king offers us something that we need, something that our souls are missing. In fact, it can abate the forces that made the two enemies."

"But…" Byakuya objected breathlessly, "if I act on this, I will be found guilty of treason! And if that happens, imagine the hurt to our clan's pride! To our reputation! Grandfather, you can't mean that I should pursue this! To do so could cost me everything!"

"Perhaps," Ginrei acknowledged, "but to ignore the spirit song will bring on madness. You will _definitely_ lose everything if you do not try to hear it and understand its message."

"So I am trapped," Byakuya concluded, quietly, "It seems that no matter what I do, I will be forced to lose myself."

"Byakuya," Ginrei said softly, "I will give you the first key to unlocking the answers you need. The first key…is trust. Remember that Seirei no kakyoku is the device of our king. Do you not trust your king?"

"Of course I do!" insisted the noble, "But…"

"And are you his servant? Will you follow his orders, even if they lead to your destruction? Will you follow them to the very end of your life and not regret having done so?"

Byakuya stared at him in silence.

"Will you, Byakuya?" his grandfather asked again, "Will you give all of yourself to your king's service and trust his vision? Will you open your mind and hear the spirit song, the call of your heart to join with that other?"

Byakuya tried to answer, but could not summon the words. He continued to stare at his grandfather in silence.

"I see I have given you much to think about," Ginrei said, "and I will take my leave of you with this. You promised our clan your obedience. If the spirit song calls you, then will you obey it?"

Byakuya's eyes widened and he felt himself falling. He loosed a gasp of dismay, then found himself anchored in warm arms, surrounded by Aizen's intoxicating reiatsu and scent. His instinct was to pull away, but instead his hands clung and his body shook forcefully. He heard Aizen call his name, then he collapsed in the man's arms. He took a deep, dragging breath and surrendered to the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Nii-sama?"

He froze at the sound of his sister's voice and his eyes blinked open.

"Nii-sama! You are awake!" Rukia sobbed, squeezing his hand, "I didn't know what I would do if you didn't wake up soon!"

He thought, at first, that it had to be an illusion. He remembered Las Noches…the imprisonment in the domed room, and Aizen's directive that he should call on those who could help him to hear the cry of his heart…the sound of the spirit song. He didn't think he felt any closer to hearing it. And in fact, he felt more like suppressing it. If not for the fact that loving his enemy could get him executed, then because he had begun to get the impression that he was being used to weaken Aizen Sousuke, so that he would forget his vendetta against the king. And while Byakuya, of course, wished that Aizen would end his vendetta against the king, he didn't want for their love to be used as a weapon against this man he…

It cannot be…

_I cannot love him…_

_After all he has done, all of the people he hurt. After what he did to my sister!_

But Aizen's words came back to him. Things the man had said, rang loudly in his mind…how he had grown up poor and without parents, how he had been given strong powers, but because he was not noble class, he had always struggled against the unfairness of their society, until he could not bear it anymore.

And what, Byakuya wondered, would he have done, in the same situation? Had he had great power and not a noble name? Had he been forced all of his life to accept less for his effort for lack of a noble name? Had he seen the unfairness in the way justice was meted out, in the way rewards were given and punishments decided, would it have been so easy for him to stand upon his principles? Or would he have crumbled?

It didn't make his actions right. Aizen had chosen the way of violence, bloodshed, war and domination. And because of his choices, others, Byakuya included, had suffered. But Aizen had explained to him that civil change was often achieved through war, and that the deaths of the councilors of Central 46 was an expression of hatred for the regime they represented, for the inequality and injustice their group supported with their decisions. And although new councilors had been chosen and the council had been replaced after Aizen's departure, history would forever be forced to acknowledge the heavy yoke they set upon the peasant class.

And he wasn't the only one to notice that the decisions handed down had changed notably after Aizen's betrayal. After all, who knew how many more anguished non-noble, but powerful shinigamis might be losing their patience with the powers that be as well?

"Nii-sama, please, won't you speak to me?" asked Rukia.

The noble shook his head to clear it, then focused on Rukia's worried face. She looked real enough. And the room he was in seemed to be a room in the fourth division. But…how had he gotten there? What had happened?

"Rukia?" he said softly, blinking.

"Hai, Nii-sama, it is me," she said, squeezing his hand again.

"Is this…real?" he whispered, "Am I really back in the Seireitei?"

Then, something triggered in his mind…warm arms lifting him and a tranquil voice soothing him.

"You are too overwrought by your captivity here, Byakuya. I will not make you a prisoner here any longer. But even though you leave me, you will still need to find answers to your questions. You need to learn the truth of the spirit song. So I will set you back down in the world you know. You will be in a more comfortable environment as you consider what you will do. I will come to you at night when you invoke my name. When you are ready, you may choose the next person to consult. And while you are home, speak to anyone else you will. Search where you choose. I will wait until you are ready."

"I am home…" he mused, taking a deeper breath and looking into Rukia's eyes, "I am all right now. Do not worry."

Rukia's eyes widened.

"But Nii-sama, you disappeared for days…and no one knew where you were! We searched everywhere and we could not find you! We finally found you collapsed beneath one of the sakura trees on our property. And even then, we could not determine where you had been or how you were able to return. Where were you, Nii-sama?"

"I was in the archive," he said quietly, "and while inside, I became ill. I do not remember what happened, but I knew that no one could enter to assist me. After a time, I managed to stagger out. I don't know what happened then. I must have wandered out to the sakura trees and collapsed there."

Rukia looked somewhat relieved.

"So _that's _what happened! Of course, we should have suspected that you were in the archive, but…perhaps from now on, you should have a way to summon us in if there is an emergency."

"Perhaps," he agreed, feeling a small stab of guilt for lying to her, "Rukia, I am sorry for worrying you. But I assure you, I feel much better now."

The door opened and Renji burst into the room.

"Rukia, they told me he…"

He froze, staring at the recovered noble, and warmth flooded Byakuya at the look of relief on his fukutaichou's face.

"Taichou!" Renji said, breaking into a smile, "You're all right!"

"Hai, I am fine, Abarai. I merely became ill while within the Kuchiki family archive. I managed to leave, but then must have become disoriented and collapsed shortly after."

"Unohana taichou said that it seemed that your reiatsu seemed very troubled," said Rukia, "as though you might have been under great stress."

"I knew you had been working too hard!" exclaimed Renji, "Taichou, you have to let me take on more duties to help you. You are always working from early in the morning until after dark. You have taichou's meetings, clan council meetings, family events, missions. No one can be everywhere and do everything at once. Please, let me help you more!"

Byakuya couldn't help but feel a warm flow of affection for the two as they continued to banter about what they would do to lighten the load he carried. He found their devotion to him deeply touching, and it made him feel even more guilty about lying to them.

How would they feel if they knew? How would they react if they knew that while I represent the Gotei 13 and the noble families by day, I go to bed with our enemy at night? While they struggle against the hollows he sends to batter us, I lie in comfort in the man's own bed, being pleasured by the one attacking them? How can there be resolve in the sword I wield, if I would only lower it with the setting of the sun and curl up in his arms? No…this is not a simple matter of whether or not I will be Aizen Sousuke's secret lover. It has never been as simple as that, and we were foolish to have thought it was.

But even so, I do still need my questions answered. I need to know why Seirei no kakyoku exists between us and why I continue not to hear…

"But we're going on and on!" Rukia exclaimed, "Nii-sama should be resting."

She turned to Renji.

"And you should be at your division, making sure all of the work there gets done while he is recovering!"

"Hey!" objected the redhead, "I already finished everything that came in today. Schedules and deployments are posted…training schedules are done, and I requisitioned everything we need for the next three months!"

Byakuya suppressed a smile.

"Then it sounds as though you are in need of recreation, Renji. Do you not meet your friends after work for relaxation?"

"Y-yeah…but, but you were missing and…"

"I will be all right. It is as Unohana taichou said. I have been under a bit of stress. I will spend tonight here in the healing center, and I will take a week off of work beginning tomorrow to see to the relief of my stress."

"Oh!" sighed Rukia, "Thank goodness! I was so worried you wouldn't agree to it. Just let me know what I can do to…"

"Me too, Taichou," Renji added.

"Well," said the noble, "I would be pleased if the two of you would join me for breakfast tomorrow."

Rukia and Renji exchanged a look of confusion he found extremely endearing.

"B-breakfast, Nii-sama?" Rukia asked, wide-eyed, "Is…is that all?"

"For now," he said, laying back against the pillows and closing his eyes.

He was deeply relieved when he woke to find himself still in the fourth division and not coming out of an illusion. He climbed out of bed and stood by the window, looking out at the moon and stars.

"Arigato, Sousuke," he whispered softly, "I will call for you soon."


End file.
